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Community Arts Programs Grants

Community Arts Programs support the advancement of cultural and economic development of Oklahoma through community based arts activities such as arts-focused exhibitions, festivals and performances.

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News

Mid-America Arts Alliance Updates
There are two important updates regarding the M-AAA's Regional Touring Program we'd like you to know about.

1. Applications will be accepted between February 1, 2008 through April 1, 2008 for projects occurring between July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009. You will be able to begin creating your M-AAA eGrant applications on January 15, 2008.
   
   
2. The Regional Touring Program guidelines have been modified for the 2008-2009 presenting season. Be sure to review modifications before you begin a new application. You can view the updated guidelines by following this link: http://www.maaa.org/rtp/guidelines.html.

The Regional Touring Program enriches the cultural life of communities in a six-state region (Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas) through support of touring performing arts programs.

In partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts Regional Touring Program, the Mid-America Regional Touring Program supports performing artists fees for presenters of all sizes and types. Presentations of any professional performing artist or company outside the presenter's state are considered.

Special incentives are provided for engaging performing artists from within the Mid-America region and additional incentives are provided to rural or economically distressed communities.

For complete information regarding the M-AAA Regional Touring Program, go to: http://www.maaa.org/rtp/index.html

The Big Read now accepting applications
The Big Read, a national program to encourage literary reading and revitalize the role of literature in American culture, is accepting applications from non-profit organizations to conduct month-long, community-wide reads between September 2008 and June 2009.

Organizations selected to participate in The Big Read will receive a grant ranging from $2,500 to $20,000, financial support to attend the national orientation meeting, educational and promotional materials for broad distribution, Organizer’s Guide for developing and managing Big Read activities, inclusion of your organization and activities on The Big Read Web site, and the prestige of participating in a highly visible national initiative. Approximately 300 organizations of varying sizes across the country will be selected for this cycle.

To download the Guidelines & Application go to www.NEABigRead.org. Questions? Call Arts Midwest at 612.341.0755 or email TheBigRead@artsmidwest.org

New Guidelines For Festival Funding
The Oklahoma Arts Council relies on funding from both the Oklahoma State and the National Endowment for the Arts and is therefore subject to specific guidelines in awarding grant funding. New guidelines will now require that a majority (at least 50%) of the expenses be directly tied to support of the arts. Examples of costs related to the arts may include artistic fees, technical fees, equipment rental, publicity, marketing/promotions, and office/printing supplies.

In the narrative of the grant application, applicants must discuss the connection between the expenses in support of the arts and how Oklahoma Arts Council funding would be used to offset those expenses.

Examples
Below are two examples of fictitious festival descriptions. The first one describes how the festival supports the arts through folk and traditional art. The second one does not. While it has an artistic component, it focuses almost exclusively on hiking.

• Funded: Arts activity highlighted
  Saratoga Community Celebration 2007 – The Town of Saratoga is requesting funding for their annual festival held every October. The festival is built around quilting, a popular community activity. The event will feature the work of 20 quilting demonstrators and fifteen vendors. Other planned activities will include basket weavers and presentations by four performing artists, a bluegrass band, a cowboy poet, Native American dancers and a yodeling champion. A competition for Saratoga’s coveted Best All-Around Quilter prize will be held on the last day of the festival.
  Total Project Cost = $8,934  
  Expenses In Support of the Arts = $6,234
  
  
• Rejected: Arts activity barely mentioned
  Rolling Hills Annual Mountain Man Festival – The Town of Rolling Hills is requesting funding for their annual festival held every October. The festival is built around the most popular sport in the region, hiking. The event will feature 20 specialty vendors selling the very latest in supplies for the avid hiker. There will be food vendors and hiking events throughout the weekend for children, adults and the entire family. Other planned activities include a Camper’s Country Cook-Off and a competition featuring corporate teams in a relay race up and down Rolling Hills Mountain. A locally known guitarist and folk singer will perform at the base of the mountain on Saturday evening.  
  Total Project Cost = $13,456
  Expenses in Support of the Arts = $750

Contact:

Lemuel Bardeguez, Community Arts Program Director
Phone: 405.521.2036
Email:lemuel.bardeguez@arts.ok.gov